GRAIN is incorporated in Spain as an international, non-profit foundation, and has its coordination office in Barcelona .



GRAIN is an international non-governmental organisation [NGO] which promotes the sustainable management and use of agricultural biodiversity based on people`s control over genetic resources and local knowledge.



GRAIN was established at the beginning of the 1990s to launch a decade of popular action against one of the most pervasive threats to world food security: genetic erosion. The loss of biological diversity, undermines the very sense of "sustainable development" as it destroys options for the future and robs people of a key resource base for survival.



GRAIN works to meet its aims by:



• Protecting and strengthening community control of agricultural biodiversity: GRAIN actively monitors, researches and lobbies against pressures that undermine the rights of farmers and other local communities to use, and benefit, from biodiversity. At the same time we work with national and local organisations across the world whom are advocating and building up mechanisms which enhance community control over local genetic resources and its associated knowledge.



• Promoting agriculture rich in biodiversity: All over the world there are farm and livelihood systems rich in biological and cultural diversity. Together with other NGOs, we work to support farmers and communities in strengthening sustainable agricultural approaches that are people-driven and serve food security first and foremost. GRAIN also explores how agricultural research programmes can better serve these approaches.



• Stopping the destruction of genetic diversity: Agricultural policies and trade liberalisation agreements have led to a more industrialised - and more vulnerable - food system. Through research, information and strategy work, we aim to help those involved in various activities to stop further privatisation and loss of agricultural biodiversity.